Mornings
by Saiiko808
Summary: A morning ritual for a royal knight. A young man who's coming to terms with the fact that he may be a little more like his father than he's comfortable with. In the end, the apple really doesn't fall too far off from the tree.


So began the daily ritual…

Laslow the second Royal Retainer of Prince Xander of Nohr, started his day just as the sun rose. Being stationed at the eastern most point of the barracks made it so he would always rise early. Both a blessing and a curse the young man believed as he rubbed his irritated eyes, the light shining directly onto him through a crack in the curtains. With a heavy sigh, he carefully moved from the bed, as not to awaken his beloved spouse. Gods knew she loved her beauty sleep as much as he did his own. Placed around his sleeping quarters lied many objects, between his and her swords, pieces of furniture and various other items, lay a simple wooden chest, one that held all he had of his old home. Laslow was what one could call the sentimental type. Though not a hoarder by any means he often kept items of great personal value with him nearly at all times. Paramount of which were the few items he had kept from his parents.

Peering out the slightly opened curtains he surveyed the area.

"It seems like no one else is up yet…" he whispered lowly, a smile adorning his face.

"Perhaps I may be able to spend some time for myself today."

Shutting the curtains further he turned back to their wardrobe, deftly bringing out his uniform and armaments, he readied himself for the day in front of the mirror.

"Well aren't you up early…" A female voice chimed in, her slightly annoyed tone worried her husband.

"O-oh good morning dear, I suppose the sun was just irritating my eyes."

"Whatever…" She turned, lifting herself from the bed.

"Though the sun's rays may stir me awake, you my dear, are truly my radiant light." Laslow approached cupping her cheek, pulling her in for a kiss.

"Ugh, not now." She placed an open palm over his lips.

"My breath stinks and my lips are dry." She continued, pushing him away.

"Darling, nothing could sour the sweetness of your lips."

"… Fine, lay one on me, you philanderer." She leaned in waiting for his touch.

Every morning was the same. Despite her usual cold demeanor, she was very affectionate and she loved nothing more than to whisper sweet nothings.

Her arms encircled his neck pulling him down.

"Good morning Mr. Hero." She gazed into his eyes.

"Always when you're here with me."

"Please, I bet you'd say that any girl who'd tolerate you for this long."

"Madame you harm me… Perish the thought my dear, for my eyes are yours alone."

"They better be." She grinned nuzzling their noses together.

"Or I'll tear them out and replace your balls with them. Lord knows your brain will be right next to them."

She loved to tease, not that he minded. They'd grown to trust each other, to read between each other's lines, even when it seemed like they were bickering, their feelings were always known.

Another kiss and they were apart again, she in turn began to ready herself, approaching the dresser, where another mirror sat.

Returning to his own mirror, Laslow began to fix his uniform once again. As he tightened his gloves and adjusted his collar with a very meticulous gaze, his mind began to wander.

'Everyday…' he straightened his hair.

In between strokes of his hair and clothing, he stole glances at his wife. She brushed her long silky hair, how he loved to run his ungloved fingers through them. How he adored their downtime together, how he wanted nothing more than to fight in her place, to keep her from this battle. But she would never stand for it, she was a soldier through and through, like her parents. Not that it would ever stop him from treating her like a lady.

'Everyday… is the same.'

He checked his teeth, nostrils, breath and just about anything he could. Since becoming a retainer he had become much more detail oriented. Beyond the schedules and rituals, he tended to be a bit of a worry-wart looking after everyone and everything as he made his rounds. Such a meticulous work ethic, he felt a slight sense of dread. Was he? No… he couldn't be, right?

'Everyday…'

He looked into his own brown eyes. They bore right back into him, a stern expression rested, and inklings of indentations under his eyes were beginning to form. As much as he dreaded the idea of growing old, he imagined he still looks quite handsome. But why? Was it because of his own natural looks, or was it because of the man he was beginning to look like?

"Dammit…" The woman across the room cursed softly fiddling with her hair, tying it into her usual style.

"What seems to be the problem?" Laslow approached placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's this stupid ribbon…" She fiddled with a black tie in her hair.

"Damned thing is too thick and since was one of them longer than the other…"

She struggled getting frustrated.

"Umm… Dear?"

"What!?" she growled, her eyes aflame.

"That's my tie."

"O-oh… Well say something next time you goof!"

He grasped the tie, carefully untying it from her hair.

"Thanks…" She huffed.

"But now I can't find my other hair tie."

"Well until we can, how about a change of style?" he untied her other one.

"What? A pony tail, like your mom?"

"I was thinking more of a natural look."

"What like my mother?" It was her soft spot, an insecurity she would always have.

"I was thinking more like our daughter." He rested his chin on her shoulder staring at the mirror with her. His arms snaked around her for comfort.

"Hmph."

Soleil, the apple of their eyes, her wild hair that seemed to be windswept all over. The headband, that held an importance that she may never really be able to appreciate. Though that Hoshidan girl may better emulate that familiar face, their daughter was the perfect mix of their families.

"I suppose I could do that." She fiddled with the end of her hair.

"She really is like our mothers, isn't she?" she tilted her head to his.

"More and more each day." He lifted his chin tying the string around his exposed neck. Finishing it, he looked at himself with a sense of accomplishment.

"She's not the only one." She turned to him, looking up as she cupped his cheeks.

"He he… How do I look?" Laslow chuckled, displaying himself.

"Like the man I love." She leaned on the dresser, giving him a sweet smile.

"Well, he is a very lucky man." He pinned her between himself and the dresser.

"Did I say love? I meant _**first**_ loved." She giggled, watching him grimaced.

It was an oddly kept secret that her first crush was a Royal knight, a man of gallantry. Someone he begrudgingly knew as "Father". If that wasn't all, he wasn't even her second crush. That honor belonged to his best friend, she even dedicated the name of her weapon to that flamboyant blonde. But he was damn well her number one, now and forever.

"That's not funny Sev-…"

"Selena."

"Do we really have to use those names when we're alone darling?" he kissed her neck giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Of course we do… You never know who could be listening. And besides… I'm dressed, so no more frisky business."

Almost as if on que a family of blondes and a redhead burst into the room.

"GOOD MORNING!" they sang, the redhead out of tune.

They gasped, the display of affection not for the children's eyes. The shortest blonde struggled to cover the eyes of the middle's.

"Gods Mom and Pops, would you mind maybe not doing that when the door's unlocked." Soleil stepped into the room nonchalantly, she hugged her parents without hesitation.

"Good Morning honey, your mother and I are just talking."

"Yeah… sure you were. Not that I blame you. Mom's a real cutie."

"Absolutely the most adorable in all of the land."

"Yep! You've got a great eye Pops!"

"Enough you two. Soleil don't you have some training to get to?" Selena urged the girl. Her gaze almost threatening.

"Y-you're right Mom… I mean Ma'am! If you'll excuse me."

"That goes for the rest of you too." Selena turned to the blondes.

"Right!" they quickly scrambled away.

"Impressive… I would expect no less from the daughter of the head of the Pegasus knights."

"Well you could learn a thing or two, son of the head of the Royal Guard." She slid her index finger across his jaw. She gathered herself, grabbing her sword before marching off to start her day.

"I love you, dear." Laslow called out from the doorway.

"I know." Selena confidently replied, not even looking back.

Turning back to the mirror, he readjusted himself once more. Since when was he so detail oriented? Since when did he care about being so tidy? Since when did he even start wearing this tie underneath his uniform? How was it that he became the man he admired the most before he ever even noticed?

'Every day…'

He smiled to himself finally ready to start the day.

'Every day, I seem just a little more like you. I hope you're proud, Mom and Dad.'

He swelled with pride, grabbing his sword.

"Laslow, you're late." An imposing armored man stood in the doorway.

"L-lord Xander! I was just about to meet you."

"There's no need. Just follow." Xander marched away, his son not too far behind. Quickening his pace, he caught up with the royals.

'I guess I'm not quite there, huh?'

And so goes the daily life of Laslow, the Royal Retainer of the soon to be King Xander of Nohr.


End file.
